Al-Hilal agree deal for Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, says Marco Silva
Aleksandar Mitrovic will join Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal from Fulham, says manager Marco Silva.
The Serbia forward was not part of the Fulham squad for their 3-0 defeat to Brentford on Saturday, having pushed for a move away this summer.
The 28-year-old will join Neymar in Al-Hilal’s attack, after the Brazilian moved to Saudi Arabia on Thursday.
Fulham will reportedly receive £50m from Al-Hilal for Mitrovic, who scored 14 Premier League goals last season.
Mitrovic will be Al-Hilal’s third Premier League signing this summer following Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly and Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves.
Fellow Serbia player Sergej Milinkovic-Savic has also joined Al-Hilal from Lazio.
The record four-time Asian Champions League winners are one of the four Saudi Pro League teams who have been taken over by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
Mitrovic, who made 205 appearances for Fulham and scored 111 goals after signing from Newcastle United in 2018, had three years left on his contract.
He broke the Championship scoring record with 43 goals in 44 games during their promotion-winning season of 2021-22.
Mitrovic was banned for eight matches and fined £75,000 for pushing referee Chris Kavanagh during an FA Cup quarter-final defeat by Manchester United in April.
Fulham initially rejected a £25m bid from Al-Hilal but Mitrovic was keen to move to Saudi Arabia.
He did not play any matches during Fulham’s pre-season and boss Silva said the situation was affecting the team’s preparations for the new campaign.
“It is not the ideal scenario, not because he received an offer. It is all the situation about himself,” Silva said.
“He is not working properly with his team-mates, and when I say it is not the ideal scenario, this is the situation.”